Chocolate Chip & Cacao Nib Slice and Bake Cookies

The easiest chocolate chip cookies are ones that are already made. Now, I’m not talking about buying packaged cookie dough at the market, I’m talking about slice and bake cookies. Slice and bake cookies are a style of cookie where the dough is prepared in advance, then refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to bake. If you have a log or two in your freezer, you’ll be ready to bake cookies at the drop of a hat. The other thing that I love about them is that you’re able to bake as many, or as few, cookies as you want at one time, from just two cookies to the whole log.

These Chocolate Chip & Cacao Nib Slice and Bake Cookies are a little twist on a traditional chocolate chip cookie. The buttery dough is laced with vanilla and it bakes up to be beautifully crisp and flavorful. The dough is packed with mini chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Cacao nibs add a fruity, bittersweet chocolate notes to the cookies that makes the chocolate chips seem richer and more flavorful. They also add a nice crunch, just as adding chopped up nuts would.

You’ll notice that I opted for mini chocolate chips in this recipe instead of full sized ones. I did this because the mini chocolate chips are much easier to slice through neatly when cutting your log of dough and they give you a better distribution of chocolate. The mini chips also happen to be about the same size as the cacao nibs, which gives the cookies a nice look. If you only have full size chocolate chips, give them a little chop in the food processor. Chocolate chunks can be used if they are cut fine. IF you feel like the mini chips aren’t delivering enough chocolate punch, feel free to drizzle these cookies with tempered chocolate before serving.

I like to bake these cookies until they are golden on the edges and they have a nice crispness to them. IF you like your cookies crunchier, feel free to cut the dough into thinner slices or simply bake the cookies until they are darker in color. If you prefer a softer cookie, just take a minute or two off the baking time, though the cookies should still be set before you remove them from the oven. The log of dough can be frozen for several weeks, so make a double batch and keep some on hand for unexpected chocolate chip cookie cravings.

Chocolate Chip & Cacao Nib Slice and Bake Cookies
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup roasted cacao nibs
2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually blend the flour mixture, stirring until the dough comes together. Stir in chocolate chips and cacao nibs.
Spoon dough out onto a large sheet of wax or parchment paper in a rough log shape, then roll the paper around the dough to form a neat log about 2-inches in diameter.
Freeze dough for at least 2 hours, until very firm. Dough can be frozen for at least 2-3 weeks.

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the paper from the cookie dough log and slice into pieces no more than 1/4-inch thick. Arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown and set on the edges. Cookies may be sliced thinner or baked longer for an extra crisp cookie.

Makes about 3 dozen.